title: An apparently silent nucleotide substitution (c.7056C>T) in the von Willebrand factor gene is responsible for type 1 von Willebrand disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nucleotide variations not changing protein sequences are considered silent mutations; accumulating data suggest that they can, however, be important in human diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report an altered splicing process induced by a silent substitution (c.7056C>T) in the von Willebrand factor gene in a case of type 1 von Willebrand disease originally classified as lacking von Willebrand factor mutations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The c.7056C>T synonymous substitution introduces a new donor splice site within exon 41, leading to messenger RNA lacking nucleotides 7055-7081 (c.7055_7081del). The encoded von Willebrand factor protein is predicted to lack amino acids 2352-2360 in the B2 domain. The patient's von Willebrand disease phenotype was characterized by reduced plasma and platelet von Willebrand factor, which was normal in function and multimer structure. In vitro expression studies demonstrated that co-transfection of equimolar c.7055_7081del and wild-type von Willebrand factor (mimicking the patient's heterozygous state) induced a 50% lower von Willebrand factor secretion than the wild type, while almost no von Willebrand factor secretion was seen with the mutated von Willebrand factor alone. The secreted von Willebrand factor was structurally and functionally normal, suggesting that the c.7056C>T substitution behaves like a loss-of-function allele.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of a synonymous von Willebrand factor substitution being responsible for von Willebrand disease. Our findings suggest the need to reconsider the role of von Willebrand factor polymorphisms in von Willebrand disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiologic, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua Medical School, via Ospedale Civile 105, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Daidone
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallinaro
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grazia Cattini
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pontara
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertomoro
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pagnan
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casonato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010375:Pedigree; D010641:Phenotype; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D056725:von Willebrand Disease, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014841:von Willebrand Factor